WINNEBAGO — Twelve Clans Unity Hospital is offering inpatient care for the first time since the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska officially took over management of the hospital.
In a statement released last week, the hospital announced the opening of its Inpatient Services Unit. Inpatient care has been unavailable since the first quarter of 2018 because of a lack of staff and other issues related to the hospital's management by Indian Health Services.
According to the statement, reinstating inpatient services is "a major step for the hospital toward achieving certification by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services."
In July 2018, the tribe assumed management of the Omaha-Winnebago Hospital, which was formerly operated by Indian Health Services, a federal agency. The hospital was renamed Twelve Clans Unity Hospital in honor of the 12 traditional clans of the Winnebago Tribe.
People are also reading…
Following the management change, the tribe began the long process of building new infrastructure, staffing, policies and procedures. Danelle Smith, executive director of the Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System, said this work was "absolutely necessary to have a viable and functioning administration to operate all areas of the hospital."
"We are focused on working as quickly as possible to improve health care for our tribal members, gain CMS certification and continue our journey to provide outstanding health care for our tribal members and Native Americans throughout the region," Smith said.
Health care services provided by the hospital and the tribe's public health department include an ambulatory care clinic, inpatient care, express care clinic, pharmacy, radiology, emergency care, medical laboratory, physical therapy, social services, dental, optometry, audiology, behavioral health and more.